50 Drabbles for Rose and her Doctor
by Vix of TARDIS
Summary: Prompts according to the live journal community newten rose. Rose/10.5
1. Time Lords Never Sleep

"Time lords never sleep", he'd often said -- well, yes they do, though  
hardly as much as humans do, so it might as well be true. He wasn't  
sleepy anyhow. Not in the slightest. Besides, he wasn't entirely  
human, surely he'd kept something of his Gallifreyan physiology! He  
only had one heart, but that didn't mean -- he yawned, unexpectedly --  
clearly, this world's oxygen ratio is slightly off, and without a  
respiratory bypass, well -- Rose adjusted, he would too. He yawned  
again, and closed his eyes -- easier to think, he reflected, leaning back  
in his chair, as her gentle kiss went unnoticed.


	2. Nightly Adjustments

The first night, she was unsure. He'd returned, but another man -- the  
same, but not -- stood in his place. Even after those words, that kiss --  
acceptance was hard. Though he protested, she gave him the sofa, while  
she closed her bedroom door. At length, she slept. He didn't.

The second night, she listened. He told her that he truly understood,  
but he was adjusting too, and needed her. She laughed when his sleep  
deprived ramblings began to make no sense. He fell asleep before she  
could invite him in.

The third night, she was ready. She opened her bedroom door.


	3. Banana Daiquiris Are Good

Banana daiquiris are good -- more was always better, till it was one,  
two..._twelve_ too many.

No longer able to will away the rubber in his legs or the bile in his  
throat as he heaved himself dry. He lay, waiting to regenerate...no,  
wait. Not an option anymore. He almost cried.

"Feeling better?" Rose asked with concern and unabashed amusement,  
helping him off the cool bathroom floor, and into the spinning bed.

"Well, at least the worst is over, right?" he slurred before passing  
out.

Rose decided that it probably wasn't a good time to remind him that  
humans got hangovers.


	4. Surprises Are Better

"Doctor?" Head throbbing, he ignored her. "Doctor!" He heard her shout,  
though she never raised her voice. He groaned.

"Mornin', Sleepyhead, forgot already? Silly question!" She removed the  
duvet. "Oi! Who says I'm getting' up?!" "Mum's expectin' us, besides,  
you said you wouldn't miss it!" "But I'm sick, Rose!" "You're  
hungover, there's a difference! Anyhow, Mum says the best thing for  
that is a full English breakfast, so allons-y!"

"Don't do that!" he pouted. "Not cooking, is she?" He turned green.  
"No!" she laughed.  
"Surprise for afters if you're good!" She kissed him.

He remembered how much he loved surprises.


	5. The Other Man

Now the Doctor was alone

Now the Doctor was alone. He'd watched the other man say the words – all he felt, yet couldn't say. When they kissed, he ran away, never looking back – knowing Rose could be for this man exactly what she'd been for him – and more, because he could share her life like the Doctor never could. An adventure he could never have, awaited them. Without Rose, the other man would surely die – or kill again. The Doctor never would – he wanted to believe. In time, neither would the other man. Rose would see to that, and his sacrifice wouldn't be for naught.


	6. Reflection

He wonders what it'll be like

He wonders what it'll be like. Sure, he's died before, but never for  
too long. Sometimes there's nothing, sometimes darkness, sometimes  
light, but he'd always wake up -- new body, new life. Studying his  
reflection, he still can't believe this body will be his last. Could be  
worse, though. Imagine how much bigger and hairier _those_ ears  
would've become! That blondish frizz would be a sight gone grey! At  
least now he had great hair -- hopefully, he won't lose it -- well, he  
didn't the first time.

"You look fine -- we're late!"  
"Be right out, Rose!"

Death can wait. Life is calling.


	7. Doubt

They talked until he fell asleep, reminding her how much he wasn't him.

He said he'd stay forever, if she wanted - now she wasn't sure. She

couldn't help it. Mum told her it would pass, but no matter how Rose

tried, doubt persisted. Giving up on sleep, she went downstairs.

She found her dad, already seated. He poured her a cup of tea, and they

sat, companionably, until he spoke. "Everything alright?" "Suppose

so."

Silence. Pete rose. "Tomorrow, then?" "Yeah. 'Night."

Rose remembered. Pete wasn't really her father, yet somehow he'd become

her dad.

Why couldn't _he_ become the Doctor?


	8. Exile

Aside from the memories of a Time Lord, he also had his own. How could he forget -- born of fire, of war -- of Donna, which redeemed him. Born naked and aware, he saved the TARDIS and the world -- well, not alone, but his fate was sealed along with the Daleks. How did he deserve this exile? Separated from the world he knew in every sense but having been there, yet not fit to stay on? Still, he had his love; his Rose. A gift, by grace, he knew. Perhaps the Time Lord, not him, was the one truly in exile.


	9. What Might Not Have Been

They lay in bed, caresses escalating, till she paused to consider.

"Do you think he -- well, I mean, I'd always wondered. I would have

done, if he'd asked me."

"We're not that different. Not at all -- we're almost exactly the same,

except, well..." He stroked her hair.

She laughed. "Really, though. Why didn't he?"

He looked at her sadly, gently tracing her lips with his finger. "I --

he never would. It was too complicated, for both of us. But now, I'm

free, and I can. Will you have me?"

"Yes."

They made love, grateful for what might not have been.


	10. Paradox

Late at night she listens to him breathe -- to the steady beating of his

single heart, and she thinks of his counterpart in her native world,

counting the cost of her own intervention. Would this all have

happened, if she'd only let the Doctor go, never using her connections

to try and get him back, putting all universes at risk -- or perhaps her

actions prevented something even worse, and finding him was meant to be,

keeping him was not. Yet by some paradox, she has it both ways -- or

does she? She'll never know, and cries for what she's lost.


	11. Risk

The Doctor sniffled. He blew, but his nose kept running. "A cold, is it? No way!" Surely he had enough Time Lord left in him not to catch -- he sneezed again. In spite of that, his head remained painfully clogged, and his throat was scratchy too. He coughed till it hurt. Worst of all, Rose had been right. It _was_ a bad idea to go running in the rain, especially when cold germs are lurking about. Had running been worth the risk?

As Rose tucked him up in bed, she _almost_ resisted the urge to say "I told you so!"


	12. First Fight

The Doctor loved Rose, but sometimes, he didn't like her. Now was one of

those times. How could he know she'd react so badly? Was it just Rose

being thick or are all humans like that? Not him, though. He was much

cleverer. Didn't she know how much it hurt when she pushed him away?

Or perhaps he shouldn't have said those awful things. He'd always had

more control than that. Donna hadn't. He sighed, reluctantly

considering he'd been wrong. Well, not wrong so much, just...he could

explain. He'd show her if she'd only open the bedroom door. "Rose?"


	13. Try Again

She heard him call her name. "Go away!" she cried. He'd hurt her too

much this time. All she wanted was her proper Doctor back. Something

she could never have, and it made her angry. He'd left her there, on

her own, with a consolation prize -- a broken one at that. She'd already

fixed him once -- she couldn't possibly do it again. Even if she could,

if he didn't cooperate, it was over. He knocked again. "I'm so sorry,

Rose, for everything. I still love you."

_"He needs you, that's very me."_ Opening the door, Rose vowed to try

again.


	14. Painful Memories

Painful memories kept Rose awake. Although she'd made her choice, the

Doctor sent her away. Even after she'd risked everything to get back,

he did it again. Rose woke him up to ask why.

"You'd have hated him keeping you, Rose. Not right away, but a time

would come when he wasn't enough..."

"He was all I wanted."

"You think I don't know that? I'm not enough, and we're the same man.

A matter of time..."

"You're right. I hate you."

"You mean him?"

"No. Go back to sleep." She smiled and drifted off.

Painful memories kept the Doctor awake.


	15. Worth Caring

The Doctor woke up late. Rose was gone. He sighed. She could've at

least left a note for him. Not that he cared, right? He spent the day

going through the motions, pretending to pay attention to Jackie's

chatter, playing silly human games with Tony, but his heart wasn't in

it. In a few days, he must decide to work for Torchwood or work

someplace else. Perhaps he could teach physics, or music, or maths. He

couldn't sponge off the Tylers forever. He didn't care what he did, so

long as he had Rose. She was something worth caring about.


	16. Not You

_"He's not you."_ The words ring in the back of his mind, coming

forward in sad, disjointed nightmares, and in the uncertain waking

moments that follow when he feels Rose dry his tears. Worse when she

doesn't - she's caught in her own despairing nightmare. Then he must

say what needs saying, even if he can't end her sadness.

_"He's not you." _The words ring in the back of her mind, coming

forward in sad, disjointed memories, and in the uncertain moments of

their new life, until the two of him merge in her consciousness, and the

words no longer matter.


	17. Vigil

The Doctor was gravely ill. What began as a common cold became virulent

and unrelenting. They'd both taken the TARDIS for granted, never

thinking distance could nullify her protection, leaving him as

vulnerable as the newborn that he technically was. If he didn't recover,

there would be no regeneration - Rose shuddered, unwilling to suffer

such a loss again - she'd only just got him back. In hospital, his

fever continued to rise, with no relief in sight. "I'm so sorry,

Rose." he whispered before losing consciousness. Keeping vigil, Rose

realised she'd taken him for granted as well. She never would again.


	18. Crisis Past

He awoke in a strange bed, barely remembering how he got there. Rose

slept in the bedside chair, and all he wanted was to touch her, to prove

she was real. He sensed some time had passed - not precisely as before,

which didn't disturb him as much as he'd anticipated. No longer fading,

but still too weak to call out, he hoarsely whispered, "Rose?"

Her eyes flew open, and she quickly took his hand. His fever broken,

her tears flowed in relief, "Missed you." "Me too." He managed, drifting

back to sleep. She was still there when he woke again.


	19. Fantastic

Sometimes it was easy, but more often it was hard -- dealing with his

moods, her mother, his arrogance, her immaturity, though she'd grown

those years they were apart, the gap between twenty-something and

nine-hundred-ish could seem impossible to bridge, although, as he'd too

often pointed out, he was technically only a few months old by now,

which was no better. They both had tantrums and they made each other

cry.

Still, when they worked together, listened to each other, and showed the

love and support that was truly in their hearts -- only two between them

now -- life could be fantastic!


	20. Human Touch

The Doctor lay in bed as Rose skillfully massaged his back. Soon, his

chatter was replaced by guttural expressions of pleasure, then silence

as Rose realised he'd fallen asleep. She smiled. The notion that Time

Lords didn't sleep was a myth, perpetuated by the Doctor himself,

boasting his species' superiority. Still, it was quite true they didn't

require the eight hours humans needed to function -- frustrating to

Rose's Doctor, who apparently did now. She gradually lightened her

touch, moving to gently stroke his hair. He only stirred slightly when

she pulled the duvet over them and turned out the light.


	21. Negotiations

"Brilliant! Banana splits do exist on Pete's World! Why, that's just wizard, right Tony?!" Rose loved the Doctor's childlike wonder at ordinary human things like dessert. "Let's get some!" Rose suggested, to the Doctor and Tony's delight. "You're gonna spoil his dinner, you two!" Jackie interrupted. "Mum, it's only ice cream!" Rose interjected, before the Doctor insulted Jackie's cooking again. "What if Tony promises to eat all his vegetables tonight?" the Doctor negotiated, winking. Tony smiled, getting it. "Please Mummy? I promise!" Jackie couldn't resist his eyes…or hers…or his, she hated to admit. "Go on!" Jackie relented, hiding her smile.


	22. Hidden Treasure

Rose looked at the new photograph. Her Doctor, in his blue suit, smiled

as always. If Rose hadn't known, she could hardly distinguish his smile

from another picture she'd taken. The Doctor stood with Mickey, whose

smile seemed forced. Rose finally realised how badly she'd treated

Mickey back then, the other Doctor never gave Mickey his due, but Rose

should have -- couldn't even say goodbye, though Mickey came to terms.

Both gone now, and all she had left of Mickey was half of a hidden,

treasured photograph -- at least she had her own Doctor, but she'd always

treasure her first.


	23. Remembering

Rose sat up in bed, quietly watching the Doctor sleep. So much had

changed in the year since they'd come to stay. Rose learned, in time,

to take the bad with the good. She'd -- they'd lost so much. He stirred

as she gently stroked his hair. Rose remembered how he'd said the words

his counterpart could not, and wondered how it took her so long to say

them back. When she did, his joy was complete. A teardrop fell, his

eyes opened. Confused, he asked, "Are you alright?"

"Just...remembering." He pulled her close, brushed another tear away.

"I remember too."


	24. Time To Wake Up

Rose woke and looked at him. Asleep. Good -- time to think. The  
decision was made, though not by them. He was here, except he wasn't --  
and accepting that wouldn't come easily -- she could hardly resent him  
doing what he thought was best, but sometimes wished he hadn't. He'd  
shown her an impossible life, then left her alone but for the family  
she'd have left to be with him. She'd worked so hard to find him she'd  
nearly lost herself, but she'd never lost the dream, though it could  
never be the same. She shook him gently. "Time to wake up!"


	25. Togetherness

Rose was annoyed when the Doctor nodded off during her favourite movie. She elbowed him in the ribs, but when he woke and looked at her, sleepy and confused, she smiled, pulling his head onto her shoulder. He sighed and slept again. Hard to think of him needing nearly as much sleep as her now that he was half human. Hard to think of him being half human at all, come to that, although, Rose surmised, a little sadly, "That's the half that keeps him here."

She decided not to think of that at all, and just enjoyed their togetherness.


	26. His Final Day

The Doctor looked unwell that day, but when Rose asked, he'd only say he was "alright". Though she wanted to press, his faraway, lonely look kept her at bay. "He'll tell me when he's ready." She told herself, sad he still kept some things secret after so long, sad he wouldn't let her in. They lay awake for hours that night – Rose finally fell asleep, dismayed to find him still awake when she woke again much later. "Tell me!" Rose demanded. "He's dying." He whispered, in tears, finally accepting Rose's comfort, as she stroked his hair, and cried with him.


	27. Denial

Rose broke their embrace – the new Doctor watched as she ran back to where the TARDIS had been moments ago. He stubbornly held back his tears even as she cried. Anger, sadness and love vied for preeminence as he forced himself to stay. "Let her come back to you." He told himself, knowing it would be a struggle. She'd worked so hard, only to find herself back where she'd begun. Where she belonged – he and the time lord both knew that – despite denial, long since gone for him. He hoped she could put hers aside to make each other better.


	28. Game Over

It seemed like the universe was playing games – only there were many universes, and Rose was losing to all of them. She'd fought so hard to win, even gone so far as cheating to make things go her way. Yet, here she was, on **Dårlig Ulv Stranden**, right back where she'd started. No more cash, no more tokens – no, that wasn't right. There was one token left – with nothing left to lose, Rose played her hand. She got to keep her token, still not quite knowing if she'd lost or won. The game was over – or had it just begun?


	29. All That Matters

The readings were as he'd expected. He was, effectively, human. Oh sure, there were differences in his DNA pattern, mostly subtle, and, fortunately, mostly undetectable by this universe's current, human technology – but this was Torchwood, and as such, his Time Lord aspect could indeed by quantified here. Didn't matter, really. All that mattered now was that the Doctor had one heart, and would indeed age at roughly the same rate as his wonderful, human Rose. Well, that and – the tests confirmed – he and Rose could conceive a child, if that's what they both wanted. He looked forward to finding out.


	30. Papers

"You do remember I can drive, don't you Rose?" The Doctor squirmed as Rose tried to focus on the road. "You do remember you don't have a licence yet?" The Doctor cursed his counterpart for keeping the psychic paper. "Just how long does it take to process a few papers here – LOOK OUT!" he screamed as Rose stopped short at the light. "Well, if you hadn't taken so long picking a name, you'd be driving already, Doctor, I mean, David! That's gonna take some gettin' used to." "No need, Rose Tyler!" He smiled. "For you, I'll always be the Doctor!"


	31. Breakthrough

It had been a struggle. Everything had changed so much, and on the worst day of her life, he'd left her there, and she felt her life was over. But she went on and channelled her loneliness. Finally, a breakthrough – she could touch her native world, if briefly. Almost to the point of touching him again – she intervened, and saved a world. Finally, she found him. They were happy – until the Dalek fired, and her world was broken. He left her there again – only now she had a second chance – the metacrisis. The Doctor hoped Rose could be happy again.


	32. Rejection

"He destroyed the Daleks. He committed genocide. He's too dangerous to be left on his own."

Rose looked between them – so alike – they stared as though their very lives were in her hands. "Then take him with you." She said, coldly. "I don't want him. I don't want either of you!" Rose turned and walked away. "No second chances – not even for you." The fully Time Lord Doctor said, turning his back as well. The TARDIS disappeared – the new Doctor was alone. "Don't go!" he cried.

"I'm not going anywhere!" Rose soothed, as he shuddered awake from yet another nightmare.


End file.
